Why did Drizzt lose the ability to levitate?

Drizzt Do'Urden lost his ability to levitate because he left the Underdark, where the mystical energy known as faerzress is present, and this energy is absent on the surface world.

The Environmental Influence on Drizzt's Abilities

Drizzt Do'Urden, a renowned drow ranger, possessed several unique capabilities linked to his drow heritage and the specific environment in which he was raised. One such ability was levitation, which he could perform while residing in his native home, the Underdark.

The Role of Faerzress in Levitation

The primary reason for Drizzt's loss of levitation was the presence and absence of faerzress. Faerzress is a unique magical radiation native to the Underdark. While living within its influence, Drizzt, like many other inhabitants of the Underdark, could harness this pervasive energy to perform feats such as levitation. This indicates that his levitation ability was not an innate, constant power but one contingent on specific environmental magical conditions.

Transitioning to the Surface World

Upon his departure from the subterranean realms and his ascent to the surface world, Drizzt was no longer exposed to faerzress. The surface world lacks this particular magical radiation, which meant that the direct source of his levitation ability was no longer available to him. Consequently, this led to the permanent loss of his power to levitate. This illustrates how certain magical capabilities within fantasy settings can be intricately tied to unique environmental factors.

Abilities That Remained

Despite losing his power to levitate, Drizzt did retain other inherent drow abilities that were not dependent on the presence of faerzress. For instance, he could still adjust his eyes to the infrared spectrum. This crucial skill allowed him to maintain his exceptional darkvision, enabling him to see clearly even in complete darkness, a vital advantage in both the Underdark and certain surface environments.

Here's a quick comparison of how Drizzt's abilities were affected by his change in environment:

This demonstrates that while some drow abilities are tied to the unique magical properties of their homeland, others are an intrinsic part of their physiology, functioning regardless of location.